Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spacessa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Spathiphyllum  plant named ‘Spacessa’, characterized by its upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit; freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants; large glossy dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large white-colored spathes that are positioned above and beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes; and good inflorescence longevity.

Botanical designation: Spathiphyllum Schott.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Spacessa’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum Schott. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Spacessa’.

The new Spathiphyllum plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new year-round flowering Spathiphyllum cultivars that have glossy dark green-colored leaves, large white-colored spathes and good postproduction longevity.

The new Spathiphyllum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in December, 2004, in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20031079-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20040805-001, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Spathiphyllum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands in April, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Spathiphyllum plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since May, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Spacessa’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Spacessa’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants.     -   3. Large glossy dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large white-colored spathes that are positioned above and         beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes.     -   6. Good inflorescence longevity.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more vigorous than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have glossier leaves than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have smaller spathes than         plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more upright than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have darker green-colored         leaves than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have smaller spathes than         plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum can also be compared to plants of Spathiphyllum spp. ‘Sparego’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,457. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Spathiphyllum differed from plants of ‘Sparego’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum were more vigorous than         plants of ‘Sparego’.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum had glossier leaves than         plants of ‘Sparego’.     -   3. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum had larger leaves than plants         of ‘Sparego’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Spathiphyllum.

These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Spathiphyllum.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Spacessa’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Spacessa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 30-cm containers in Naaldwijk,

The Netherlands during the winter in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were grown under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Spathiphyllum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 19° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from about 19° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about 5,000 lux. Plants were 60 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Spacessa’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number             20031079-011, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number             20040805-001, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About eleven days at 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 215 to 240 days             at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant shape.—Upright and outwardly arching plant habit,             uniform and broad inverted triangular habit.         -   Growth habit.—Freely clumping, bushy and dense growth habit;             about 15 clumps per plant; moderately vigorous to vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About             76.8 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of             inflorescences.—About 110.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 124.5 cm.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 37.6 cm. Width: About 15.3 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate             to ovate. Apex: Elongated apiculate. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; slightly leathery. Luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Between 143A and 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Between 144A and 146B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than between             N137A and 139A; venation, close to 143A. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to             146B to 146C. Petiole: Length (excluding geniculum): About             39.3 cm. Diameter, just below geniculum: About 6.5 mm.             Diameter, at plant base: About 1.3 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A. Geniculum length:             About 4.8 cm. Geniculum diameter: About 8 mm. Geniculum             texture: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Geniculum color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C. Wing length: About             34 cm. Wing diameter: About 1.6 cm. Wing color: Close to             137A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement/habit.—Cupped erect spathes with             columnar spadices held above and beyond the foliage on             strong and erect scapes. Flowering structures arise from             leaf axils. Freely and continuous flowering year-round in             The Netherlands; typically about 23 inflorescences develop             per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; sweet and pleasant.             Inflorescence longevity: Inflorescences last about three             weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 22.3 cm. Width: About 10.3 cm. Depth:             About 4.4 cm. Shape: Elliptic to broadly elliptic. Apex:             Elongated apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             leathery. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Glossy. Color:             When developing, front surface: Close to 155A. When             developing, rear surface: Close to 155A to 155B. Fully             developed, front surface: Close to N155B to N155C; at the             apex, close to 145B to 145C; with development, color             becoming closer to 144A to 144B. Fully developed, rear             surface: Close to N155A to N155B; at the apex, close to 145A             to 145B; mid-vien, close to 144B to 144C; with development,             color becoming closer to 144A to 144B.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 8.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm. Shape:             Columnar, tapering towards the apex; apex, obtuse; base,             obtuse; cross-section, rounded. Aspect: Mostly erect. Color:             Immature: Close to 158D. Mature: Between 158C and 11D.             Flowers: Quantity per spadix: Numerous, about 350. Shape:             Rounded. Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Anther             color: Between 158C and 11D. Pollen amount: Moderate to             abundant. Pollen color: Close to 158C. Stigma shape: Ovoid.             Stigma color: Close to 199D. Ovary color: Close to 158C.         -   Scape.—Length: About 79.7 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 15° from vertical.             Color: Close to 143A; towards the base, close to 145B to             145C.         -   Seed and fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Spathiphyllum. -   Disease/pest resistance:

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Spathiphyllum.

-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to     about 36° C. 

1. A new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spacessa’ as illustrated and described. 